Revelation 1:12-13, 16, 20 "I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man... In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. ... The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches."
The primary symbol Revelation uses for the churches is that of lampstands. Lampstands contain oil, which is often symbolic of the holy spirit, as in anointing with oil. Our primary purpose, or at least on of our major purposes as churches and individuals is to carry the Holy Spirit, the spirit of God, to be vessels. We are conduits, instruments, servants, integrally involved in his work but not to be credited for it, perceiving and testifying to all its goodness, "calling it good" as it were.
We carry the flame as lampstands, another symbol for the holy spirit, as in Pentecost. This is also refining, purity, sanctification.
Oil was used frequently as anointing in the old testament. Hm I wonder. In the NT laying on of hands, a more HS related activity, was how they commissioned missionaries. Make sure you incorporate HS in creating leaders.
The 10 virgins in Matthew 25 needed to buy extra oil and keep watch for the coming of the bridgegroom Jesus. Do not neglect the holy spirit and keep full, lest your flame go out. The lamp in the sanctuary was never supposed to go out. Never be lacking in zeal but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord, and pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Related concepts - light, Jesus is the light of the world. No one hides a lamp under a basket but sets it on a stand so that it gives light to the whole house. God is light and in him there is no darkness. But the darkness has not understood it, the dark world we live in. Hence the necessity to keep your lamp burning as we wait for his coming. In Zion there shall be no night and no sun either, for the Son shall be the eternal light.
Anoint my head with oil Psalm 23, anoint me with the oil of joy. Never ceasing oil for the widow woman and her son with Elijah story. Oil also used a little for washing and healing by the elders and disciples.
Anyway, I was just thinking.
We are the lampstands Jesus walks among in his glory in heaven, the carriers of the spirit of God.
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